The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-11-04
PARTISAN MEANNESs.


Now that Jeff Davis has declared in favor
of Cleveland's denomination, the thing may
be considered definitely settled, and the
Democratic Convs ntion will have nothing to
do but tn ratify by reclamation the prefer
representative of the party for the man of
many vetees and much borrowing from the
American Cyclopedia Exchange.
The author of the above paragraph
doubtless thought he was writing
something that was very funny, and
very severe as well. Republican editors
have lately INDUCED largely in humor
and sarcasm of piece with that
quoted, with the idea that they ara
doing good service to their party by
directing suspicion towards the Dem
ocracy. But this humor is both vulgar
and Ineffective. jeff. Davis was once a
great man. He was great intellectually
and was recognized as broad-minded,
liberal statesman by the north as well
as by the south. He was one of the
leading men of the nation when
the position of leadership meant
more than possession of immense
wealth and more than the cunning of
the demagogue who could manipulate
and sway the masses to his political
ends. jeff. Davis was one of the fore.
most men in the land because his
ability placed him at the front. He
went wrong politically, but so did
millions of his fellow-men, some of
them as pure and grand men as ever
lived. 1t was neither corruption nor a
selfish ambition which led him astray,
but an honest error of head and heart.
But what jeff. Davis has been has
nothing to do with President Cleveland
and the Democracy. The Democrats
did their full share of correcting the er-
ror of which Davis and his associates |
were guilty, and have no more
sympathy for the "lost cause"
than the Republicans; nor have
the Democrats, as party, any respect
for the ex-President OF the Confederacy.
To them he is simply an old man, with
out national influence, in his dotage
and more or less cranky. 1t is imma-
terial to them whether he faVors or OPP
poses Democracy, as his friendship or
enmity in a political partisan sense is
the least forceful thing imaginable. The
Southern people, the ex-Coufederates,
however, honor and revere the name of
Jefferson Davis, and they would be
strange, unnatural creatures if they did
lot. He was the champion and head
IF the cause in the effort to establish
which they lost all. His lot was cast
With theirs, and he was true to them
md to the principles for which they all
ought so bravely, and with such
desperate determination. That the peO-
Die have been convinced of their error
md are willing to confess themselves
wrong, is no reason why they should
urn against the man whom they loved {
because he loved them and was devoted
% the cause for which they all fought. ]
f the Southern people did not delight
% honor JEFF. Davis they would be un
worthy themselves.
1t is no reflection on the Democracy,
Tor on its officials, that Davis approves
is principles and applauds its repre-
entatives. 1t does not argue that the {
Democracy is less loyal to the Union
han the Republican party. nor that q
Democrats are not as patriotic as men
f any other political faith. When Re- i
ublican editors find Democrats gong {
Trong in obedience to the dictstion of f
eff. Davis, it will be proper for these :
ditors to assail the party over the a
houlders of the weak and garrulous old I,
Ian who can possibly cut no figure in 7
American politics during the few re. q
naming days of earth left to him. D